LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Little Rock Board of Directors have voted to purchase body worn cameras for the Little Rock Police Department.
Board members say they previously wanted to wait due to funding, but now they say we can’t wait anymore.
The agenda says the price of the body-worn cameras is more than $700,000, however, the City Attorney clarified that was not correct and the actual price will be shared soon.
Little Rock Director Dean Kumpruis said the company supplying the body cameras agreed to add 25 more cameras at no cost and the city will not start paying back this debt for 11 months.
Both of these are reasons that helped move the board towards a passing vote.
“Even though we do not know our financial situation and that we are committing a large amount of money to the purchase of these cameras, it is the right thing to do given the situation we are in,” said Kumpruis.
Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said previously, the video collected on the body-worn cameras would be available after an investigation if the Department received a Freedom of Information Act request.
Every LRPD officer will have their own body-worn camera.
